Tinubu Hails Yahaya Bello at 50—Despite Ongoing N80 Billion Fraud Trial

President Bola Tinubu has extended birthday greetings to former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, praising his contributions to youth inclusion in governance as the former governor turned 50. The message, released by the presidency on Wednesday, comes months after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Bello wanted over an alleged N80 billion fraud.

In the official statement, Tinubu lauded Bello’s rise to prominence as the youngest democratically elected governor in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and highlighted his efforts to promote youth participation in politics. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu extends his warm felicitations to Alhaji Yahaya Bello… commending his historic emergence and wishing him continued good health, strength, and fulfilment,” the statement read.

Bello served as governor of Kogi from 2016 to 2024, first assuming office at age 40 after the death of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Abubakar Audu during the 2015 election cycle.

Despite the presidential recognition, Bello remains at the centre of a high-profile corruption case. In April 2024, the EFCC declared him wanted after he failed to appear in court to answer a 19-count charge involving alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and the misappropriation of public funds totaling N80 billion.

The commission subsequently obtained an arrest warrant and alerted Interpol, which issued a red notice to aid international efforts to apprehend him. Bello was eventually taken into EFCC custody in Abuja on November 26, 2024.

He was arraigned before a federal high court on December 13, where he pleaded not guilty. The court granted him bail set at N500 million, with conditions that included the surrender of his international passport. The trial is ongoing, with witnesses for the EFCC providing testimony on financial transactions allegedly linked to Bello’s time in office.